I have been practicing (Goenkan) Vipassana for about 5 months. I have found that when I am able to communicate with my subconscious the effects are most pronounced, as when the pain of sitting finally went away during my initial adhittana (stationary) sittings, and a lot of other little pains and stiffness also lifted. My subconscious was educated by the sensation of pain ameliorating, not by my conscious mind telling it "stop feeling pain".

I would like to do the same with anicca. (The concept of) anicca still originates in my conscious mind, whereas pain/pleasure originates in my subconscious mind. I would like to bridge the gap vis a vis anicca, and make it as subconscious a process as possible. The closest I have gotten is this: as I feel sensations, I feel a ball/ridge of energy (arising) at the line of my awareness during a body scan, followed by a sensation of (passing) as the energy fades, rather like a comet in the sky. I still have to consciously remind myself sometimes that this is arising/passing (anicca), but it is better than using "anicca" as a continual conscious-level mantra, since the former at least involves body sensations.

Just wondering how others handle this, as the literature has not really answered it to my satisfaction.

Ben wrote:Focus instead on developing awareness of the anicca characteristic of sensation.Kind regards,Ben

Sorry I'm late in replying--and thanks for your focused answer. Makes me re-frame my question: is this awareness a conscious or unconscious process?

It really is a question of what to do during practice. Often during adhittana I just sit and feel the "line of energy/vibrations" go through me like a comet (with the attendant arising/passing), a process which theoretically involves little or no conscious thought. Point: Is this essentially unconscious process a contemplation of anicca (does my unconscious feel the arising/passing automatically/instinctively), or do I have to consciously remind myself about anicca (arising/passing) as well during sitting, a process which involves visualization/mantra, something I am trying to get away from?